For the convenience of the cosmetic user, cosmetic packaging often includes an applicator that is suitable for dispensing the particular cosmetic contained in the package reservoir. The applicator head or applicator tip is used to apply and spread the applied product, and may additionally serve to massage the skin of the user in the application area. It is also believed that cooling the skin can have a beneficial effect. For example, cooling the skin area below the eyes has been shown to reduce puffiness. In the past, applicator heads and applicator tips having a variety of shapes and configurations have been provided with means for cooling, but the effectiveness has generally been limited by the relatively small thermal mass of the components and by other limitations. Alternatively, pre-chilled creams or lotions, or chilled washcloths or cleansing pads have been used to reduce skin temperature, but not necessarily in convenient, single does forms, and the product, while chilled, may provide only a limited cooling effect. In contrast, a frozen product can deliver a much more significant chilling effect to the skin, than a merely chilled product or product applicator.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,378,025 describes cosmetic products in the form of deep-frozen blocks or cakes, which are directly applicable to the skin. The relatively large blocks are molded around supports (sticks for example) made from wood, plastic material, whose ends projecting from the block will enable them to be easily handled. A user is able to withdraw the deep-frozen block from its mold without contact with the cosmetic substance. The process for packing the described blocks consists in pouring or compressing the cosmetic substance in a mold, and in cooling the substance rapidly and intensively to a complete deep-freeze, i.e. between −25° C. and −80° C. The relatively large blocks allow multiple applications with the block being returned to a freezer for storage between uses. A drawback of the '025 invention is the need to remove the entire block of cosmetic product from the freezer. Now, the block is so large such that, in a single application, only a small portion of the surface of the bock will ever contact the skin. The result is that some product near the surface of the block melts, but is not deposited on the skin. The amount of melting may be significant if the product block spends several minutes or longer out of the freezer. Subsequently, this melted product is returned to the freezer, thus being subject to at least one freeze thaw cycle (and probably several freeze thaw cycles) before it will actually be applied to a user's skin on some future application. On the one hand, the portion of product that was subject to at least one freeze thaw cycle may be degraded in appearance, or texture, or efficacy of its active ingredients or any combination thereof. Clearly then, thawing and refreezing any amount of the product should be avoided. On the other, depending on its melting point temperature and consistency, the melted product that does not get deposited on the skin may run down the handle or onto the hand of the user, or otherwise drip and create a messy situation.
Accordingly there is a need for refillable unit dose packaging for cosmetic or personal care products wherein the package is designed to house and apply a single dose of frozen cosmetic or personal care products that can provide a significant chilling effect during application, while avoiding degradation of the product due to freeze-thaw, and avoiding the other problems described above.